Alternative
by cloloveswah
Summary: A different version to Danice's near kiss in series 4 episode 6... better summary inside.


_**Hey guys :')**_

_**I'm really bored but only have a few minutes til I have to go out, so I decided to write a little one shot.**_

_**Set in series 4, episode 6... It's basically a different version of the Danice miss-kiss.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

_Miserable, dull, lifeless and drab. Only four words of many other vile words with such meaning that could have been used to describe the atmosphere around the table of Leopards Den. The departure of the much loved, if not slightly grumpy, annoying and gruff Afrikaner known as Anders DuPlessis, had certainly had his affects on the normally happy family home._

_Danny Trevanion, the head of the house in many respects and the main vet at Leopards Den, as well as the unlikely best friend of Dupe, as Anders DuPlessis was affectionately called by his family and friends, was in a state of utter confusion, sadness and bewilderment. A lack of interest was evident as he drank the usual coffee he had every morning from the usual cup he had, well every time he had a coffee, so we should probably add frequently. Even the sound of a light hearted and joyous Scottish accent could muster a response from the down hearted man. _

_But, if there was one thing about Alice Collins that every one knew about, it was her stubbornness - including her stubbornness to tell Danny exactly how she felt about him. Both were every bit as stubborn as the other, and Danny too could not bring himself to tell Alice how he felt. He couldn't find the words to tell her how beautiful he thought she was, or how those sapphire diamonds that glistened in the light like two pools of clear water, stole his heart with every look she gave him. He couldn't find a way to tell her how that radiant, infectious smile or that beautiful voice of hers made his heart leap, and he couldn't find the way to tell her, he couldn't survive without her, or the way every touch felt like magic, sending his stomach into turmoil._

_It was maybe because of this that he hurt Alice so much, not intentional, in fact the oblivious and love sick fool couldn't understand Alice's anger towards him, or why the fact his kind nature and generous helpful attitude towards Vanessa, another woman blissfully in love with the blind fool, upset her so much. _

"_Now what Dupe say if he could see you all right now?" Alice asked the moping family as they all clattered their cutlery against their plates, or sat sulking staring at their food, or in some cases playing with it. "He'd say… get off you backsides and." Alice turned on her South African accent, that despite the Scottish burr, turned out fairly well. "Do some bloody work."_

_A laugh rustled amongst the family, even Evan, the grandson Dupe never had mustered a laugh. It was at such point Alice set everyone off on a mission, or a chore. Pretty impressive really… not many people could get a foul mood out of Leopards Den, but Alice had… and it was one of the reasons Danny had found her so easy to fall for, she was caring._

"_I don't think the ellies have had their breakfast yet." Alice directed at Evan as he threw on Dupe's old bush hat and mumbled he was on it. It left just Danny and Alice alone, something neither of them seemed to mind._

_Alice's voice softened as she began to speak to Danny, his eyes gazed up her, the emerald colour gleaming as he looked to her with puppy eyes, awaiting his task. Both had soft, loves struck expressions to their faces, their eyes had a gentle glint revealing deep love._

"_As for you…" Alice put her hands in the air, obviously unsure of what to say, or lost for words at the sheer intensity of Danny's eyes on her. A smile was plastered on her lips naturally, a subconscious smile, automatic almost, a trait both seemed to share when around the other._

"_You just go and do, what you do best." She finished with a hand gesture, her Scottish burr was light and soft, emotion etched in her voice. Danny looked to her, he almost seemed unsure but Alice urged him on._

"_Go on." She smiled, urging him out with a hand gesture, he quickly followed her orders in a desperate attempt to please her, as he hurried out, Alice stood back with her mug of coffee, obviously impressed with her efforts, and completely and utterly bewitched by Danny._

_Danny too was utterly overwhelmed by Alice. He thought of how amazing he thought she was, and in that moment he realised he had to show his gratefulness for her attempts to cheer the family up. To do what she'd always done, pick up their pieces and piece them back together. He smiled as he looked over Leopards Den as the family worked under her instruction. God, she must be something for them to follow an instruction! His mind drifted to her once more, he realised in that moment that he had to tell her, he couldn't let this consume him any longer._

_After a rushed coffee due to her eagerness and anticipation to get back to work, and more importantly to Danny, Alice trotted off down the stairs. She saw him at the bottom of the stairs, and a smile automatically crossed her face. _

_Alice, not wanting to interrupt him tried to sneak past him but nothing could have prepared her for what would happen next._

"_Thank you." Danny's northern accent held a strong sense of emotion and affection as he stopped Alice from going any further, turning to meet her eyes. God they consumed him! His heart began beating faster, as did Alice's, who was completely breathless._

"_What did I do?" Alice asked in what almost seemed confusion, although it seemed only the two of them were oblivious to the fact both were utterly in love with the other, it certainly hadn't gone unnoticed by the rest of the Leopards Den clan! As they stood eye to eye, face to face, close together, so close they made one another nervous._

"_You came to Leopards Den." Danny began, looking Alice straight in the eye (A usually impossible task, at only 5'4 , he usually towered over her, but as she stood on the stairs above him, they were unusually at the same height!) "Just when I needed you the most." _

_Alice seemed speechless, nervous, maybe even a little shocked. The usual headstrong, fiery and independent woman had melted, and as she pushed a small smile to her lips, Danny couldn't let her go, this was their moment it had to be! His arm stretched out as she tried to side step him, her head and eyes shooting through the floor. As he pulled her back, his hand on her hips, sending an immediate spark of electricity down Alice's body, Alice's eyes remained focused on the floor as she tried to comprehend the situation she was in. The rhetorical questions whirled around her head, was she dreaming? Did Danny love her? Was she just wishful thinking again?_

"_You've helped me so much Alice." Danny's voice was soft and calm, full of emotion and affection. He couldn't remove his eyes from Alice who in turn, had also met Danny's eyes, unable to snap out of the gaze they shared. _

_Both stood there for a moment, their eyes connected, Alice was breathing heavily as Danny kept his hand on her hip, his grip tightening, as both their eyes fell to the others lips. Their heads slowly began to dip together, their eyes remained upon the other until they could feel one another's breath, Alice's eyes slowly fluttered close as Danny's eyelids drooped. In that instant, both heard a car approaching, but they were too far gone, as Danny's lips crashed against Alice's, her arms wound around his neck and her hands ran through his hair, as his own hands wrapped around her caressing her back._

_A car horn sounded, as Danny and Alice jumped apart. They noticed a smirking Rosie looking at them and a rather shocked, but happy Evan staring too… but it wasn't the family the pair had to worry about it was Vanessa, as the two united lovers turned to face her as she jumped out the car like an angry lion. Alice's hands dropped Danny's as his hand fell from her hip, leaving the tension awkward._

"_Danny?" Vanessa croaked, "What, what are you doing?" _

"_Erm…" Danny looked down to his feet, suddenly embarrassed by the whole admitting his love for Alice, not because he was embarrassed of Alice, hell no he worshipped her but Danny Trevanion wasn't exactly well known for his romance._

"_I can't believe you'd do this Danny." Vanessa said, looking at Alice, who was stood uncomfortably… it was only then did she realise the real meaning of Vanessa's sentence._

"_Danny!" Alice shouted, tears threatening her eyes. "How could you? I thought… I thought you were different." _

_Danny's mouth dropped open but no words came out as Alice rushed away, wiping her eyes. Danny turned to Vanessa who was smirking._

"_You? Why! Like you have a chance!" He spat. "Get off this land."_

_Vanessa stood looking down, how could her plan backfire? Why Alice? Why not her? She looked way more like Sarah than Alice and she wasn't Scottish!_

"_Alice wait." Danny called as he ran after the woman he truly loved, the one who owned his heart. God, his relationship hadn't even started and it was slipping away. Why did Vanessa ruin everything?_

"_Go away Danny, please." Alice whispered hoarsely._

"_No! You honestly believe Vanessa?" Danny asked, delivering his killer line._

_Alice stopped and continued to look straight ahead, her back to Danny. Danny stood behind her looking at her and Alice began to think it all over. She remained completely silent._

"_Alice, I love you. From the first time I set my eyes on you, the first time. You're amazing, beautiful and you're the only one I want. Vanessa means nothing to me!" Danny spoke with such passion his throat began to constrict as tears welled up in his and Alice's eyes. "Please Alice, don't break my heart."_

_Alice turned round slowly, her blue eyes were glistening with tears, ready to fall onto her already tear stained cheeks. She looked straight at Danny._

"_I love you Danny, more than anything in this world, but I can't bear any heartbreak Danny… please, don't break my heart." Alice's voice held a million emotions. _

"_I wouldn't dream of it, please Alice, trust me." Danny begged her, his hands on her shoulders, she looked up at him but remained silent, unable to string the words together. Danny really wanted her?_

_It hadn't gone unnoticed, the whole drama of the situation was now being well talked about as the whole family watched the couple from a distance. _

"_God." Evan mumbled. "I've never seen either of em like this before."_

"_Neither." Rosie added._

"_Mum's never been like this." Charlotte admitted as Nomsa held the small childs hand._

"_What the bloody hell's going on here?" They all turned round to face Anders Du Plessis. He grinned happily as they all engulfed him in a hug._

"_Just sit back and watch the show old man." Nomsa smiled, knowing full well Dupe would most certainly be a happy man._

"_I trust you." Alice whispered. "Please Danny, don't break it. I… I love you so much. I couldn't bear it if…" _

_Alice never did get chance to finish that sentence, as Danny took her face into his large hands and kissed her, a long, slow, tender kiss, full of passion and love. Alice smiled on his lips as she wrapped her arms around him, her hands knotting in his shirt as they continued their embrace._

"_About bloody time!" Dupe smiled, "I'm glad she listened for once."_

"_It wasn't Alice who made the first move, Danny did." Evan explained smiling as he watched his step dad devour his now step mother. Although it made him cringe slightly, he couldn't help but smile at the happiness of two people who just meant that much to him._

"_Guess we'll have some explaining to do." Alice giggled as she and Danny pulled away, noticing their audience. _

"_What is there to explain?" Danny asked taking her hand. "I love you, you love me, we are together forever!" Danny grinned, happier than any Cheshire cat!_

"_I meant explaining about why this place won't be graced with the wonders of Vanessa!" Alice teased._

"_The wonders?" Danny asked, "Are you okay upstairs Alice?" _

"_Aren't any upstairs at Leopards Den stupid." Alice mocked as they walked hand in hand to their family._

"_Who you calling stupid?" Danny asked laughing._

"_You." Alice replied smiling._

"_About time!" Dupe shouted as the couple arrived. Danny and Alice blushed slightly, as the whole of the family laughed, Dupe and Nomsa wandered off leaving the latest couple to talk to their children._

"_So dad, you old romantic eh!" Rosie teased. "Congratulations. Alice look after him for me." She whispered so quiet her dad didn't hear._

"_Of course I will." Alice promised._

"_Are you okay with this Evan? I've been wanting to talk to you…" Danny began scratching his head, a sure sign he was nervous which of course followed his foot rubbing his leg._

"_I'm fine, I'm pleased for both of you." Evan grinned giving his step dad a warm embrace as Alice leant down to hug Charlotte._

"_You okay Charlie?" Alice asked her daughter gently._

"_Of course!" Charlotte enthused, returning her mum's hug. "Danny's the best!"_

_Alice laughed. "Thanks Charlie." _

_(Later that night everyone has retired to bed, leaving Danny and Alice alone.)_

Alice yawned involuntarily, god so much drama in one day! She smiled, no grinned, no beamed, that's the word, as she looked up at Danny. He grinned back her before kissing her gently as he squeezed her shoulder. The pair were both nestled close together on one of the Leopards Den sofa's… old and patchy, but well loved to say the least.

"Right, I really should be going to bed." Alice sighed, kissing Danny once more.

"Me too." Danny said eagerly, Alice laughed at him as they walked down the hall way, as Alice reached her room Danny grabbed her hand.

"Ah-ah!" Danny whispered seductively kissing her collarbone. "Where'd you think you're going?"

"To bed?" Alice asked, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"This way madam." Danny teased as he pulled Alice into his room, ready to show her just how much he truly loved her.

**A/N - Hope you enjoyed please review - I might actually carry this on one day, but for no it's a one shot.**

**Thank you for reading! x**


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